Conventional phased array radars are generally expensive and bulky systems. Typically a phased array radar incorporates microwave T/R modules to drive phased array antennas and produce narrow radiation beams. The resulting phased array radar generally requires a lot of power and a cooling system to cool the radar in order to prevent meltdown and/or malfunction of the radar components. As a result phased array radar systems are either located in a stationary building or provided as a system located on a large motorized vehicle (e.g. a truck) or located in a large air-born vehicle.
In PCT/IL2006/001144 filed on Oct. 3, 2006 and in PCT/IL2006/001039 filed on Sep. 6, 2006 the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference there are described elements and circuit designs for providing low cost and light weight phased array antennas. The applications describe circuits, which can be implemented as low cost, small sized circuits with low power requirements or even manufactured as integrated chips to handle the signals transmitted and detected by phased array radar antennas, instead of using antennas with T/R modules.
The use of lightweight low cost phased array antennas with low power requirements enables using phased array radars for many applications, which previously would have been impossible or unfeasible, for example incorporating a phased array radar on an exploding missile, or on a small vehicle such as a bicycle or motor cycle. The low cost makes it feasible for the radar to be implemented in disposable items or in mass produced products. Low power consumption reduces the size and weight requirements of the power sources that are needed to support the radar.
When implementing a low power lightweight phased array radar that is controlled by an integrated circuit and/or low powered circuit, the signal provided to each radiator results from a low powered signal and is limited in power and range. Thus in order to produce a specific radiation beam with a specific intensity there is a need to design an antenna with multiple radiators which are synchronized relative to each other and positioned in a specific pattern.